Jordan, Indonesia set to increase economic cooperationJakarta, 26 February 2014

In an extended meeting in Jakarta, attended by senior officials from Jordan and Indonesia, His Majesty King Abdullah and Yudhoyono voiced keenness on enhancing cooperation in the educational, cultural, commercial and industrial fields between their countries.

King Abdullah underlined Jordan’s openness to all regional and international economies, stressing the Kingdom’s status as an economic link to around one billion consumers around the world due to its free trade agreements and economic partnerships with the world’s mega-economies.

The Kingdom’s stability, strategic location and its competitive incentives for investors all contribute to its economic status as a hub for Middle Eastern markets, especially those of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iraq, His Majesty said.

Talks also tackled the ongoing US-brokered Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, with the King reiterating Jordan’s support to the talks on the basis of the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative that can ultimately lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The two leaders stressed the need to strengthen cooperation and coordination among Muslim states and through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to galvanise international support for a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

On Syria, His Majesty reiterated Jordan’s unaltered stance that advocates a comprehensive political solution to the crisis that safeguards Syria’s territorial unity and ends the suffering of its people, highlighting in this regard Jordan’s increasing burdens as a result of hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees.

The Indonesian president stressed his country’s keenness on enhancing its relations with Jordan, commending Jordan’s assistance to Indonesian students studying Arabic and Islamic sciences at Jordanian universities.

Yudhoyono also expressed appreciation of the King’s efforts in achieving stability and peace in the Middle East, underlining Indonesia’s support to Jordan in facing the regional challenges.

The meeting was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi, the King’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister and Expatriate Affairs Nasser Judeh, His Majesty’s Office Director Imad Fakhoury and Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Hatem Halawani.

Also in Jakarta, His Majesty met with representatives of the Indonesia Chamber of Industry and Commerce and other business leaders in the presence of their peers from Jordan’s private sector.

The King called on the two country’s private sectors to utilise the advanced Jordanian-Indonesian political relations to build solid economic partnerships.

Jordan enjoys an attractive investment environment based on its security and stability, qualified human resources and advanced legislation, His Majesty added.

The King highlighted the pivotal role of the private sector as a partner in the development process and in creating job opportunities, calling on the two countries’ private sectors to enter joint ventures to contribute to achieving economic prosperity for both peoples.

His Majesty also reviewed the distinctive advantages of Jordan’s strategic location, indicating that Jordan is keen on attracting foreign investors to implement vital transportation, IT, tourism, energy and water projects.

The King invited Indonesian companies and economic institutions to visit Jordan to see its investment environment and explore partnership opportunities.

Jordan will continue improving the laws regulating the economic field to encourage and attract investments that can benefit the Kingdom, His Majesty added.

For their part, the Indonesian business leaders expressed their admiration of Jordan’s economic openness and its liberalisation of markets, in addition to the incentives it offers to investors, expressing readiness to cooperate with their Jordanian counterparts.

Indicating that Jordan is an important partner to Indonesia, Suryo B. Sulisto, the chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that there are still other fields to increase commercial exchange.

Indonesia, he added, relies immensely on improving its ties with Jordan especially in religious tourism.

Jordan Chamber of Commerce President Nael Kabariti said there is a strong chance to establish a Jordanian-Indonesian pharmaceutical industry, noting that the two sides have agreed on establishing an Indonesian commercial village in the port city of Aqaba.

Kabariti also called for operating direct flights between Amman and Jakarta, citing their significance in facilitating the flow of tourists and businesspeople.

On the sidelines of the His Majesty’s visit to Jakarta, Judeh and his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa signed a memorandum of understanding on enhancing political coordination between the two countries.

The two countries also signed an agreement to establish a Jordanian-Indonesian factory by the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and the Indonesian PT Petrokimia Gresik with a $300 million capital to produce fertilisers from Jordanian phosphate.

The King’s meeting with Indonesian economic figures was preceded by a meeting of Jordanian and Indonesian businessmen, during which Halawani presented a briefing on Jordan’s investment opportunities and possibilities for further economic cooperation.

The value of Jordan’s exports to Indonesia − mostly olive oil, potash, aluminum and wood furniture − stood at $228 million in 2013, while its imports from the southeast Asian country reached $118 million in the same year, mostly plant oils, fish, beans, spices, wood and paper.